What Happened?

What happened to Kirsten? Kirsten, my sweet spirit, quiet giggly, absolutely adorable (OK I am bias) 13 year old granddaughter one day woke up and was this moody, broody, "whatever" kind of girl. Where did the other Kirsten go? Having raised her mother, I am afraid I know where she went and it may be a while before she comes back.

There is a side of transformation that is not pleasant, not easy for all those involved. As Kirsten grows through teenagehood and into a young adult she will decide who she is, what childish habits to leave behind, which new ones to embrace. Over the next 10 years she will make many decisions that will dramatically impact her future.

Spiritual transformation is not so different. Like Kirsten’s journey through teenagehood, a Christian journey through spiritual transformation is a process that does not happen overnight. It takes time and there are no real shortcuts. There will be times God will give you a awesome victory and you will have a mountain top experience but most of the journey will require faith, obedience, perseverance and discipline.

I have to say that many times I have almost given up and been content with the “status quo” in my life. Gratefully the Father was not content to have me remain “status quo”. Through a well timed friends nudging or a Bible verse the desire to experience spiritual change was built back up in me. I have learned my obedience is in direct proportion to my desire for the Lord. That desire is most present when my intimacy with Him is strongest. When I do stay connected with Him (abide in Him) I want to obey Him in this journey called spiritual transformation.

For me, staying connected to Him requires discipline therefore spiritual transformation requires discipline. This is particularly true in the area of yielding and lordship. I am a strong woman and I must constantly keep before me that I am to yield to the Spirit and not the other way around. Spiritual transformation happens not because we read God’s Word but because we yield to what it says. Like Kirsten's decisions over the next 10 years will impact her future, as we go through spiritual transformation so will ours.

TJ